Their first Thanksgiving
by BirchWriter
Summary: Answer to Thanksgiving Challenge at CSI Forever Online. Limited to 1000 words.  Pre-CSI and pre-GSR.


**TITLE:** Their first Thanksgiving  
><strong>AUTHOR:<strong> BirchWriter  
><strong>RATING:<strong> K  
><strong>SUMMARY:<strong> Answer to Thanksgiving Challenge at CSI Forever Online. Limited to 1000 words. Pre-CSI and pre-GSR.  
><strong>DISCLAIMER:<strong> If I owned them, why would I need to write fanfic?  
><strong>BETA:<strong> MSCSIFANGSR, as usual she worked her magic on my story, she wrote my disclaimer, and made me use this header.  
><strong>WORD COUNT:<strong> 944 in story, the rest is my ranting.  
><strong>AN:** As you can no doubt tell, after reading this story, I am a football fan. I love the New Orleans Saints, always have, always will. No disrepect to the Saints, but they were terrible in 1998, when this story takes place. The characters in this story may be out of character a bit, considering Grissom's love of baseball.  
><strong>AN 2:** Now on another note, I promise that I'm working on my other story, 'Chanel No. 5'. I never expected for the story to take this long. Problem is that I've been working on it too much. I've written 9 versions of Chapter 8 and I don't like any of them. My beta has liked 2 of them, but I still haven't worked either of them out to my liking. She said to 'keep it simple' and I haven't. I hope to post sometime before Christmas.

**Their first Thanksgiving**

_To: 72345.39482 at Compuserve; Betty Grissom_  
><em>From: 72345.39481 at Compuserve; Gilbert Grissom<em>  
><em>Date: November 26, 1998, 11.34 am PST<em>  
><em>Subject: Thanksgiving Vacation<em>

_My dearest Mother,_

_Happy Thanksgiving. _

_I'm very sorry that I am unable to make it home for this holiday. I do miss the taste of your turkey, dressing, green beans and sweet potato pie. I am currently sitting in a cafe awaiting the same meal, but I'm sure it won't be the same. _

_My speaking engagement with the University of California, Berkeley went well and ended this past Friday. There were several young, aspiring criminalists who impressed me to no end; their inquiring minds the next generation of my chosen profession. I have offered to mentor one such mind and it should prove to be a rewarding challenge._

_I decided to stick around the San Francisco area for a much needed vacation. UC Berkeley supplied me accommodations the duration of the course, however I decided to keep the room and pay for it myself. Rates at 'The Golden Bear Inn' are not out of my budget. _

_The Saturday after the conference, I attended the annual Stanford/Cal football game which you no doubt watched on television, knowing your devotion to the Cardinals._

_The Sunday after, I attended the 49er/Saints game. I will say Steve Young is an veritable hall of fame quarterback. The Saints are a miserable excuse for a football team; although one Saints fan who sat near me who was especially belligerent, reminded me of your Raider fans. I know it's been 4 years, but you need to stop sending Al Davis hate mail. The Raiders belong in Oakland, not Los Angeles. There I said it; if you chose to disown me, then so be it. _

_On Monday and Tuesday, I spent wandering the streets of San Francisco. The weather was breezy, but otherwise perfect. In China Town, I found you the perfect Christmas present. I explored Fisherman's Wharf and did all the normal tourist jaunts. _

_Yesterday, I spent holed up in my hotel room. I'm not exactly sure what caused it, but I suspect food poisoning from under-cooked fish. I am better, now; thanks to multiple purgings. _

_As I stated above I'm in a cafe, about to partake my Thanksgiving meal alone while awaiting today's football games. The Steelers/Lions and Vikings/Cowboys look to make a holiday away from you bearable, because I know you will be on the couch watching the same games._

_I should be back in Vegas by this coming Saturday. I have another, abet small and unpaid, speaking engagement at the San Francisco Coroners office, tomorrow. The student I offered to mentor is an employee there and requested I speak on entomology as related to autopsies. _

_I look forward to seeing you at Christmas. Please don't invite Julia to our Christmas celebrations. The relationship is over and please don't try to play matchmaker between the two of us. Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter._

_As ever, your loving son, _

_Gil _

Just as Grissom hit the send button, he looked up sharply from his computer screen. Goosebumps rose on his forearms and a tingle of excitement flowed through his entire body. At the door, his new pony-tailed protegee shyly entered the restaurant. Their eyes met briefly before she looked away, embarrassed. But amazingly, she changed direction and turned to him.

"Dr. Grissom. I didn't know you were still in town for Thanksgiving." Sara Sidle approached his table with a large backpack on her shoulder, leaving a respectable distance between her and the seated man.

He bent down to unplug the telephone cable to disconnect his computer and to make room at his table for her to sit. "I'm glad we ran into each other. Would you care to join me, that is if you are not here to meet your family."

"No, I'm alone. I came for the internet. I don't have it at home," she answered with her eyes downcast as she slid into the stiff wooden chair across from Grissom. "Thank you."

He quickly packed his rather large laptop and accessories into his briefcase as she looked around the bustling cafe. There were many students busily tapping on their own laptops. This cafe was one of the few in the bay area to offer free internet as long as the customer purchased a meal.

"I was just finishing up and about to order. May I buy you your Thanksgiving meal?"

"That's really not necessary. But thank you anyway. I need to work on my thesis, I'll just get a sandwich and salad. The library is closed today and I need to go online and check some sources and make sure..."

"I insist." He interrupted as his blue eyes bored into hers while his mouth quirked into a slightly smirky smile she found hard to resist.

"Okay."

"Are you a football fan, Miss Sidle?"

"I love the Raiders. And I'm glad they're back in Oakland, where they belong; Al Davis is a saint for bringing them back."

Grissom smiled, again, feeling relaxed and happy for the first time in a long time and then the two of them launched into a grand discussion of football, Thanksgiving traditions, entomology, physics, crime scenes and ate their first meal together.

As Grissom took leave of the restaurant, he looked back toward the young woman who was hooking up her computer equipment while sorting through various books, he called out to her: "I'll see you, later."

She looked up and smiled her full gap tooth grin and replied, "Yeah, you will."

And for once in a long while, Gil Grissom was excited about the future.

**The End. **Thanks for reading.


End file.
